Ch 62

Ch 62
December 7th

“Find yourself a chair, and don't stand in our legs!" exclaimed Dr. Hamilton.

But Ian couldn't sit still. 

He paced tirelessly over the carpet of his study. 

A roaring fire burned in the fireplace, while outside, the first flakes of winter swirled by the windows.

The short December afternoon was already drawing to a close. 

Eden, like the doctor, thought the baby would arrive the week before; but it was December 7, and she had been having contractions since dawn, when the omega had woken him, apologizing for interrupting his sleep. 

Ian rushed to the stables, woke up two grooms and sent them for the doctor, then rushed back to his wife, only to be firmly barred from her door by Gwen and Mrs. Kingston. 

He had to content himself with pacing up and down the corridor, his ear to the ground. 

Nothing, silence. Then a shout. He ran to the door and opened it: Eden’s face was pale and concentrated, but, thank God, not distorted by pain.

“Ian," she told him, "try to get some sleep, nothing's going to happen for a long time.”

Sleep? How on earth did she expect him to sleep? Mrs. Kingston came to the door and put her hand firmly on the handle.

“You must leave us, lord,” she said with an air both indulgent and stern. 

“It's a matter of omegas now. Our mistress needs to concentrate, and she can't do that if she has to worry about you.”

Ian retreated to his study, called for a fire to be built in the fireplace, and tried to conjure up the frightening images pressing before his eyes.

As soon as he heard a knock at the front door, he rushed in before Jackson could make a move. 

It was the doctor, as he'd expected. With exasperating calm, the old man was casually dusting the snow from his shoulders.

"Looks like he's come to treat a head cold" mused Ian resentfully. 

Dr. Hamilton looked at him mockingly.

“There's nothing you can do, Milord, and there's no need to worry.”He smiled.

“I thought you had nerves of steel Courage, and don't throw yourself on the brandy too quickly.”

Seven hours had passed since the doctor's arrival. 

Ian wandered like a lost soul at the foot of the stairs, feeling as feverish as he was useless. 

At noon, the doctor had left the room for a quick lunch, telling him that things were going slowly but normally. 

Then he saw Mary pass by, the village girl Eden had hired as nanny, beaming with pride at having been chosen.

A short time later, Mrs. Kingston came out of the room, flushed and busy. 

She told him there was nothing to worry about and returned to her Mistress’s bedside. Eden had servants.

When the clock struck four in the afternoon, Ian stormed out of his study and climbed the stairs four at a time. 

He had heard Eden shouting. 

They'd tell him what they wanted, but he wasn't going to leave her alone any longer. 

From what he could hear, Eden had better things to do than worry about him. 

He stormed into the room. Hamilton stood at the foot of the bed, the housekeeper rubbed Jimin's back, and Gwen held her hand. 

Eden was all white and sweaty, her hair stuck to her forehead and she looked exhausted; but Eden opened her eyes wide when she saw Ian enter. 

Then another contraction seized her and Eden visibly struggled not to scream again.

“I'm here," said Ian, pulling Gwen aside to take her hand. 

“Nobody's going to make me leave, and you can scream as much as you like.”

Then Eden turned her head to the pillow, looked at him and clutched his hand desperately. 

Then Ian lost awareness of everything around him, and saw only Eden on the bed. 

As the contractions grew closer and stronger, Ian tried to put all his strength and willpower into the body he was holding. 

For the first time in a long time, he prayed.

He prayed for Eden, and for all this to end as soon as possible.

He sensed a growing agitation around them, then a moment of calm, and the doctor simply said.

“Now!”

A strange, almost incongruous child's cry echoed through the room.

Eden fell back on her pillow and Ian took her in his arms, kissing her breathlessly, so relieved.”

“Oh my angel," he said, "my darling, my brave omega”

Eden smiled at him, exhausted but serene. 

Ian had never felt closer to her, nor more jealous of having her all to himself.

“Milord, don't you want to see the child?" asked Mrs. Kingston, behind his back.

“No, I want to see my wife!”

Ian simply didn't want to see what had caused Eden so much pain.

“But she wants to hold her baby!" replied the housekeeper, elbowing him in the ribs.

When he stepped aside, Ian saw her drop a small swaddled bundle into his wife’s arms.

“Here, Milady. A lovely little girl.”

“A girl?” Ian turned to the doctor, who was washing his hands.

“Yes, milord. A very beautiful little girl, in perfect health.”

He looked reproachfully at Ian and lowered his voice. 

Come now, there'll be time for boys later. 

Just don't bother Milady about it now. Just pretend you're satisfied.

“But I am satisfied, damn it” replied Ian, exulting with joy.

“I'm delighted. I couldn't be more delighted! A girl.”

Ivan’s daughter, not his son. "My son will be the heir.” A visceral joy invaded him.

Then he looked at Eden, who seemed exhausted after hours of pain and effort, and shame overwhelmed him. 

No sooner had the omega overcome the ordeal of childbirth than he was already thinking of inflicting it on her again.

"Monstrous egotist," he reproached himself. “Demanding and heartless!"

“Ian?” Eden called out to him, wondering why Ian was no longer standing beside her.

Ian promptly smiled at her and came to sit carefully on the edge of the bed. 

The baby was already suckling at her breast, and the sight took his breath away.

“She's beautiful, isn't she?”

Shyly, Ian moved a finger forward to touch the little red cheek. 

“Very beautiful," he said vaguely.

“Just like her mother.”he thought 

“Is everything all right?" asked Eden. “You seem….preoccupied.”

“It's the shock," he replied, brushing a lock of hair away from his omega's face with a trembling hand.

“ I understand why Dr. Hamilton and Mrs. Kingston wouldn't let me in. Alphas aren't tough enough to handle this.”

Eden gave a low chuckle.

“Go to your daddy," Eden said to the baby, who had finished suckling and was starting to whimper.

Jungkook took the wriggling bundle in his hands. 

The baby seemed to look at him with a little anger, his face red, her eyes very brown, and a tiny lock of black hair on her head, soft as a kitten's fur.

“Hello, little Miss Boyle," he told her, feeling stupid.

She must have thought so too, because she closed her eyes and began to cry. 

“Thank God you're not a boy." He tried to find other emotions in himself than this one relief.

“Pass her to me, Milord," said Mrs Kingston. “I'll hold her while Gwen and Marie look after Milady.”

“No, no, let me," he replied. 

“I'll take her into the boudoir for a few minutes.”

“ Shh, shh….You've got to learn to do what your daddy says.”

He rocked her gently as he spoke. 

The baby calmed down and half-opened her eyes, as if soothed by the deep voice.

"Daddy? Yes, I have to get used to being called that. I've got to learn to love this little red-faced person who's caused so much trouble..."

With the child in his arms, Ian sat up gingerly and murmured a few words to her until she fell asleep. 

When Mrs. Kingston returned for her, Eden lay in fresh sheets and a clean nightgown, her hair combed and tied with a simple ribbon.

When she slept, Eden looked far too young to be a mother. 

Ian felt his heart clench and his eyes fill with tears.

“Would you like me to take the little one, milord?”

She was the new, competent-looking nanny. Jungkook handed her the baby.

“Where's the cradle?" he asked.

“In the nursery, milord.”

“Bring it here and set it up by the bed. When she wakes up, Eden would want the baby with her.”

The servants murmured, but Ian took no notice. 

It was doubtful that anything would wake Eden, unless the little girl started screaming. 

He remembered how irritated he'd been when Eden had refused to leave the nursery upstairs. 

Now that he had seen the baby, he understood his wife’s desire to have her with her. 

The crib, with its white lace trim, was quickly installed. 

Ian began to remove his boots.

“Thank you all," he said. 

“I'll stay with my omega until she wakes up.”

The new maid looked surprised, but Gwen and Mrs Kingston smiled and led her out.

“It'll be easier for the next one," remarked Dr. Hamilton, calmly closing his case. 

“For both of you.” Then he left, gently closing the door behind him.